Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the russian federation’s Barbaric Shelling of Central Lviv
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the russian federation’s Barbaric Shelling of Central Lviv
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns yet another act of barbarism and a crime against culture committed by the russian federation against Ukraine. On this occasion, the aggressor carried out a targeted strike with drones on the central part of Lviv, causing damage to UNESCO World Heritage sites within the historic center of the city. Civilian buildings were hit, and people were injured as a result.
This attack constitutes not only a war crime against civilians but also a direct assault on humanity’s cultural heritage, which enjoys international protection. It was in Lviv, with the support of international partners and UNESCO, that Ukraine established its first UNESCO Cultural Hub — a center dedicated to safeguarding, restoring, and supporting Ukrainian culture during wartime. By striking at the heart of Lviv, the russian federation has demonstrated a brutal disregard for the efforts of the international community and UNESCO itself.
We stress that the russian federation continues to systematically violate the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. We call upon UNESCO and all international partners to move beyond expressions of concern. An aggressor that deliberately destroys world heritage in a city hosting UNESCO’s official Cultural Hub must be deprived of any influence in international institutions and subjected to severe punishment.
Ukrainian diplomats are formally appealing to the UNESCO Secretariat and to the member states of the World Heritage Committee to document the consequences of this attack and to initiate additional cultural sanctions against the russian federation.
We extend our sincere condolences to the residents of Lviv who have been affected. We assure them that every instance of destruction and damage to sites of global significance in the historic center will be thoroughly documented, so that the aggressor state and individual perpetrators are held accountable before both national and international jurisdictions.